Soda

Soda

Any type of fizzy drink (pop).

Sometimes when youíre parched, water just wonít do. When this happens, you need something with a little more flavor to take care of your thirst. At a time like this, nothing can quite compare with the syrupy, effervescent goodness of soda.

You know itís sweet, you know itís bubbly, you know it comes in tons of different flavors. But, do you know the history of soda? Read on and you soon will.

Soft drinks were first marketed in the 17th century, although they were quite different from the soft drinks of today. They werenít carbonated. Instead, the drinks were created by combining water, lemon juice, and honey, which offered the drink its sweetness. These lemonade soft drinks were sold by the Parisí Compagnie de Limonadiers, who, in 1676, were granted monopoly of the drinkís sales. Thirsty Parisians could acquire a cup of the sweet liquid from one of the many vendors can carried lemonade-filled tanks on their backs.

Dr. Joseph Priestley created the first drinkable carbonated water in 1767. Just three years after the Englishmanís discovery, Torbern Bergman, a Swedish chemist, invented a machine that that could create large amounts of carbonated water.

Charleston, South Carolinaís Simons and Rundell acquired the first U.S. patent in 1810 for a device that could create imitation mineral waters in large quantities. However, it wasnít until 1832 that carbonated beverages actually became popular in the United States.

At that time, John Mathews not only invented a device that could create mass quantities of carbonated water, but also mass-manufactured the device sot that soda fountain owners could obtain one.

It was considered a healthy practice for U.S. residents to drink either artificial or natural mineral water. It wasnít long before American pharmacists began adding the water with additional flavorings to make the beverage even tastier. Items such as dandelion, fruit extracts, birch bark, and sarsaparilla were used to give mineral water flavor.

Pharmacies with a soda fountain became a popular fixture in early American culture, so itís no surprise that flavored carbonated drinks would also grow in popularity. Patrons not only wanted their healthy beverage at the counter, but also wanted a chance to drink them at home. Therefore, consumer demand helped the bottling industry grow.

By the late 1800s, more than 1,500 patents were filed for various bottle tops. Inventors knew the importance for creating a top that would keep the carbonation from escaping. William Painter patented the Crown Cork Bottle Seal in 1892, which was the first cap that successfully kept the carbonation in the liquid.

In 1899, an automatic glass-blowing machine was patented, making it easier and faster to create soda bottles, which has previously been done by hand. Production grew, and so did sodaís popularity.

It was during the 1920s that both six-packs and vending machines made an appearance, making soda even easier to obtain.

Today youíll find many flavors of soda, and can easily get it from a fountain, or pre-packaged in cans, in plastic bottles, or glass bottles.